Synthesis
by ColourfulZebra
Summary: *Spoilers for ME3* "Are you okay Jeff?" "No... but thanks for asking." Joker, EDI and the rest of the Normandy crew must battle for survival on an unknown planet. Rated T for language.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: *WARNING* Spoilers for Mass Effect 3 ahead, don't read if you haven't played! **

**I'm aware the ending isn't favoured by anyone really, but this was the option I chose when I played and it was my preferred 'alternate ending' of the three main choices. I'm planning on working further on the storyline lacking in the ending and if I make any mistakes please point them out.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect, if I did the characters would be doing more dirty things with each other ;) **

* * *

><p><strong>SYNTHESIS<strong>

**Shepard**

I felt like shit. I couldn't breathe through my nose; too much blood had clogged, leaving me to draw in sharp painful breaths through my mouth as shallow as I could make them. My left arm hung limp by my side, the other trying to hold tight to the only gun I had left- my pistol, I would have liked something a bit more powerful at this crucial moment but I had a feeling I wouldn't have the strength to hold onto it. Bent almost double I began a slow walk to the other end of the crucible, I had a big choice to make and with three paths open before me I couldn't help but feel no matter my decision it wasn't going to be a good deal. Control the reapers, destroy the reapers or combine synthetic and organic life. I really wasn't in my right mind to make a decision that effected the entire universe but I was the only one who could do anything about the reaper invasion, I'd come this far, I wasn't about to let Earth get destroyed that easily.

**Joker**

My hands ran quickly across the buttons on the cockpits command centre, the Mass Relays were turning to rubble, green flame following their destruction, following _us_. I didn't know how long I could evade as it continued to follow after us, I could see the green mixing with the orange interface in front of me and nothing I could do would likely stop it from engulfing the entire ship, I was running out of time and my fingers couldn't move fast enough. I felt time slow down, could see that my chances of out-manoeuvring were slim, and then I felt the pull, the Normandy dragged back into the eye of the storm. Nothing really changed, space is space, it's all similar- a couple of stars, some planets- that's the galaxy, so of course I wasn't sure at first anything had changed, but looking at the system in front of me I could tell we'd touched down to an unknown pocket in the relays. "We're not in Kansas anymore." I muttered soullessly, then I felt the ship buck as the tail exploded and was faced with a difficult position most pilots face at least once in their day- I'd experienced this a few time's… let's just say only one of those was my fault. 'ENGINE FAILURE' flashed on the screen and the next thing I knew the Normandy had lost all power, plunged into darkness the only thing I could see was green all around me. I pulled up on the manual controls as best I could manage (with brittle bones applying force wasn't a strong point of mine) but I'd lost this ship once and I wasn't going to lose her a second time. The crash was deafening as we nosedived into land, and I was thrown forward in my seat, pain rendering me stunned.

"Jeff?" I heard the call but I couldn't respond, winded as I lay face down on the control panel, fighting to push away from it, I looked out at a bright light; slowly the image came into focus- trees, nature. No destruction, no buildings, no reapers- it looked like my home planet but I knew it wasn't. I hadn't seen such familiar beauty since I'd been with family on Tiptree and I tried not to consider the fact that I may never see them again- anyone again. "Jeff, are you alright?" EDI's voice reached my ears and I turned the chair around slowly, away from the sight of the outside world- whatever that world may be. "No EDI, but thanks for asking…" I managed to mumble, pulling myself out the seat and through the cockpit, pushing oxygen masks out the way as the dangled uselessly from the ceiling. I caught sight of polished metal as EDI quickly took me in an embrace, leading me away from the nose of the ship and down the bridge. I allowed her to help, grimacing mildly, I was happy to see she was okay, but I wasn't sure if _I_was, broken bones were a familiar feeling and I considered that maybe I'd splintered something in my arm, but that wasn't the only thing putting my mind into a spin- who else (if anyone) had made it through the crash?

Sound erupted as bodies groaned and fought their way out of debris, some of the doors containing supplies had popped open leaving the main hull in disarray. "I'm detecting signs of life Jeff." I managed a small smile, not wishing to alarm her, I was glad to see some people survived but I was worried for those who hadn't. "Thanks for the heads up EDI," I watched as few managed to right themselves. Not everyone survived; I could see the ships crash had caused several casualties, bodies lying in blood puddles unresponsive. I tried to focus on the survivors; James Vega was the first I saw, shaking his head quickly in an uncoordinated fashion before attempting to help Tali from out beneath a section of conference room table that had managed to migrate through smashed glass and wide open doors. "You okay?" He uttered to her, leading her out of the mess that was once the combat information centre.

"My suits a little torn, I might not be too well in a few hours, still considering all odds I'm okay for the moment," I looked on as she dropped to her knees and sat back, she looked quite weak, just like I felt.

"We'll look for medical supplies shortly, I think we're all a little roughed up," I managed to murmur, EDI let go of me then and I found I could stand okay on my own, despite the slight shake the ran continuously through my legs.

Leaning myself gently against a piece of wall I considered the situation, EDI worked with James as they began helping other's from the rubble, we'd been thrown onto an uncharted planet with no navigational equipment at our disposal with the Normandy sadly out of commission, surviving the next few hours let alone weeks might prove a challenge. It was a pretty grim situation and I hadn't even calculated the other possibilities, watching as friends and comrades were rescued from the wreckage in front of me. When they had finished their brief sweep of the area I was comforted to see that I had managed to keep at least a few of our crew alive: EDI of course, James looking stunned, Tali clutching at the hole in her armour, Garrus blue blood leaking from his mouth, Liara pulling herself out with the clever use of biotics, Dr Chakwas surveying the wounded, Samantha Traynor fighting to hold back a whimper and Bethany Westmoreland- one of the guards at the war room door- looking devastated. This was still a blow, everyone else aboard the Normandy appeared to have died and I didn't want to consider who, of those, were dead due to my shoddy landing.

"Where are we?" Bethany asked first.

I'd only briefly seen outside and whether due to stupidity or perhaps lack of oxygen I opened the hanger door without even thinking. The light shined in, throwing relief on the scene of destruction behind me, but there was one positive, the planet's air was breathable. I covered my eyes with my arm over my head, trying to see beyond the sun shine, seeing the same leafy growth and trees that I'd caught sight of in the cockpit. The forest appeared alive, pulsing with some glowing energy that rippled through the plants like light blue waves. I didn't dwell on the unknown, stepping off the Normandy I turned to help EDI down, pointing beyond the green we stood close together amongst the trees, between two ridges, able to see out at the overlapping moons high above us. The crunch of leaves behind me suggested we weren't alone, everyone else joining us to take in where we had ended up landing, no one able to speak as they took in their surroundings.

"Is this an inappropriate moment for a joke?" EDI asked out loud, nuzzling into my chest.

I scratched at my beard, unsure how to respond. "Uhhh… Yeeeeah, I'd save it for later."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thanks for reading, please review if you liked it! There's space hamster cookies in it if you do.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: *WARNING* Spoilers for Mass Effect 3 ahead, don't read if you haven't played! **

**Thanks for reviewing the last chapter, this one's somewhat longer! I added a flashback that you'll note is the block of text in italics; I plan to do this in the future also, so as to explain what happened to our Normandy crew while Shepard was pre-occupied with the catalyst. **

**Disclaimer: Mass Effect and its characters do not belong to me etc. **

* * *

><p><strong>Joker<strong>

I felt sick; the forest scene that previously seemed so lovely was now replaced by our dead crew members piled a short distance from the ship. I wasn't able to help, sitting back with the girls feeling just a little out of touch. None of them had the stomach to provide assistance, I was in the same boat but at least I had another excuse, my body was made for less manual tasks. EDI worked alongside James and Garrus, developing a production line of bodies that had once been my friends, placing them down gently on the fern covered ground like they were easily breakable dolls. I remember speaking to them on a daily basis, sleeping in the same quarters, eating meals next to them and working alongside them- my comrades, such a waste to see them all now. I was devastated before, when the casualties were speculated, but now seeing them all together just made me feel hollow. I'm sure it stirred something in EDI, I doubt she felt particularly happy at this moment, maybe even sad, I couldn't say how far her emotional range had developed but I briefly wished I could be a robot, with a heart made of metal, it might have helped take this awful feeling away.

James wiped at his brow and slowly walked over to the rest of us sitting by the hanger door, he leaned back against the Normandy's metal frame, a sheen of sweat across his forehead marking how hard he'd worked. I guessed we'd 'landed' on the planet about mid-morning, it felt like we were heading into the early hours of the afternoon now, the sun above was too bright to see its exact position in the sky, but the heat that radiated around us was taking its toll.

I watched Garrus curiously as he stared out into the bush around us. "If we leave these bodies around too long it could create a problem, there could be creatures out in these woodlands, carnivorous creatures. I'm sure they'd be more interested in live prey- us- then them. " He nodded his head vaguely down at the ground by his feet.

Bethany opposed Garrus's words. "They're not just bodies; these were our friends, our comrades. Sarah's _dead_, I spent every day working beside her, we talked all the time and now she's-" Karin Chakwas rested a hand on her shoulder; Bethany closed her mouth, teeth clenched. I wasn't sure she was holding back sobs or stopping herself from reaching out to throttle the turian, either way I had a feeling she was going to be the first to crack.

My eyes strayed to EDI, she was hard to read, face of stone or metal, whatever. "Elevated stress levels will not help to solve the situation, I recommend we stay calm and discuss an adequate way to dispose of the corp- our comrades," She quickly amended, reading the sour look on Bethany's face. "I suggest we remove them a distance from the ship- to minimise the risk of hazardous flora and or fauna locating us at this time. I am currently calculating the best method of discarding. Cremation would be faster but the variables are too great to judge, I'm detecting a ninety nine percent increased risk of being noticed by other life in the area. That's not to count the ninety two percent chance that on transit to an appropriate location, we are discovered by dangerous beings."

While the situation was not appropriate to voice my opinion, I just loved how she could calculate these risks with no one telling her to do so. The fact that she had her autonomy, was able to talk without being ordered (albeit in her own special way) made me feel at least a little better for voicing my undying love to her and her hot alloy body.

My thoughts were interrupted by the conversation continuing around me, I attempted to listen to James, knowing this was kind of important for me too. "What's to say we would encounter dangerous beings on this planet?"

"I'm detecting this planet's atmosphere is mostly made up of nitrogen, oxygen and argon, with trace gases mimicking those on earth-"

"If there still is an earth," I cut in dryly, regretting it instantly. My mouth had a habit of getting me into trouble; I was getting some 'friendly' looks. I could even feel Tali's eyes narrowed in my direction, she wore a thick purple mask for Christ sake!

EDI didn't judge me, she looked same as always. "I'm still calculating those possibilities Jeff; my answer will have to wait."

"This isn't the best time for jokes sweety,"

"I wasn't joking Jeff." Her tone deadpan.

James shooks his head, obviously displeased by the exchange. "Well when you've managed to calculate those odds, don't let the rest of us know. As you were saying…" I could see his eye beginning to twitch.

EDI picked up as if she'd never stopped talking. "This strongly leads me to the conclusion that the planet supports other life forms. Assuming this is the case, a vast food chain would have developed, including carnivores, herbivores and omnivores."

"Omni-whatta's?" Vega looked confused and I had to feel for the guy, not everyone could keep up with the smart robot.

"Life forms that can eat meat, vegetation or from both food groups respectively, this process leads to the food chain, supporting an existing, varied ecosystem."

I looked over to Tali and Liara who had developed their own conversation, they paused briefly, both glancing to EDI. Obviously they were both aware of what an omnivore was and were thinking further ahead. "What's our other option for our friends?" Tali asked, face unreadable beyond her cover.

"I have looked into two other possibilities. The first, bury our comrades, hopefully masking their smell and presence- the Normandy will still need to be cleaned if we wish to use it as a base for operations no matter the choice. This would increase the need for manpower, whether we buried them all together or individually. The third possibility, leave them in the open- in bushes or trees, to draw life away from the ship and to varied locations amongst the forest. This would increase our chances of staying undiscovered and perhaps present the opportunity to study any curious beings that stray into an area where our comrades lay. If we were to use this method, may I recommend laying traps for food, increasing your survival rate at least nine percent."

Liara recoiled. "I don't really like the idea of dumping everyone out in trees, seems a little barbaric considering the circumstances."

"Because burning them is any better," Bethany retorted.

Garrus's mandibles shifted, I figured he was frowning but it was hard to tell. "Burying them would take us too long; we have neither the equipment nor the strength to manage anything that big. There's at least twenty men and women here, not a casual undertaking. We need to preserve strength."

"I have just calculated a fourth option." EDI rubbed the back of her neck, almost looking uncomfortable. "I believe this one will be less appreciated then the other three." Everyone looked a little weary now, even I wasn't sure I wanted to hear it. "While the risks associated with my suggestion will be numerous, survival for some will benefit from eating the remains, turians and quarians excluded."

"I think I'm going to be sick," Bethany about faced, pulling herself into the Normandy, Karin followed after her quickly. Samantha's face went stark white but she managed to maintain her position.

EDI appeared displeased. "I'm sorry; I'm still working on necessary 'discretion'."

I grimaced, not sure if I wanted to laugh hysterically or follow after Bethany. "I don't think we're ready to resort to cannibalism just yet. Despite the choices you've presented we still need a means to move the bodies further away from us." I think everyone was thankful for the subject change.

Liara spoke now; I wondered what she thought about EDI's suggestions, on the outside she seemed unfazed. "I won't be able to move all the bodies but I imagine I could use my biotics to transfer a handful a short distance away."

"How short?" I could see the clogs turning inside Garrus's head; I imagined he was calculating a means to transfer everyone into the uncharted landscape.

"Two kilometres, at most… I'm still young Garrus, I don't have the skills of a matron and certainly not those of a matriarch." I didn't know enough about asari to assume anything but I felt it prudent that I didn't start asking questions of her about what she actually meant. I think Garrus understood and even accepted her answer, nodding calmly.

"I think that would be far enough away, as long as we clean the ship as well as we can on our return. Chemicals should destroy the scent around here somewhat. That still leaves us James; we can't just swing a couple people on our shoulders."

"Speak for yourself," James flexed his muscles to prove a point.

I had a feeling Samantha felt she could be useful now, if not to help remove the mental imagine of James pumping his guns. "There are some large tarps stored in cargo, in case the cruisers were in rough conditions. It might take what's left but you'll need at least four people assisting, these tarps aren't small."

The debate had gone on long enough and it was time for action, it wasn't an exciting or pleasurable duty but it was sensible and lifesaving if we wanted to make it through the night. Garrus, James, Tali and EDI would take some men on the large square tarp, Liara planned to assist with biotics. I was commanded to stay back and do clean up duties with Karin, Samantha and Bethany, I really disliked this option. A broken vertebrae was on the cards and I hated being apart from EDI but I knew as soon as they set out I'd end up on the canvas laying amongst the dead. The hard part at this stage would be finding the cleaning supplies.

**Garrus**

There was a stench in the air, not coming from the bodies we were hauling across the forest floor; something about this place had me on edge. Something wasn't right. The only sound I could hear was heavy breathing and the constant scrape of plastic across the mossy ground. My eyes strayed to Tali across from me, I had a feeling she looked determined as I did, possibly also contemplating that this place wasn't what it seemed to be. "How you holding up?" My first real thought that appeared concerned.

"I patched up the small scrapes in the armour, took what little I could find in the cargo bay for antibiotics but it's still a risk, I can't promise I'll make it all the way through this without ending up dead myself."

My mouth thinned, we were all a positive bunch without the commander present. "Don't think like that, I'm sure you'll be fine, once we get this out the way Dr Chakwas can give you something, I'm sure you'll manage to fight off any bugs that come your way. You didn't fight by my side countless times to be ruined by a little _infection_." I tried to sound positive, at least sincere; I wasn't very good at pep talks, but had a feeling I'd be making a few more of them before we found a way off this planet and back to civilization.

I closed my eyes, images from the past flashing in my mind.

"_Shepard? Dammit Shepard speak to me!"_

"_Joker? I can hear you, it's Garrus, Shepard's gone through the beam, dammit I hope she's at the citadel." I heard a pained cry, realising it was me, as I fought to pull a piece of jagged metal out from deep within my leg._

"…_Urgent message… patched through… need to get on the Normandy fast… they need air support… reapers… mass relay!"_

"_Joker, you're cutting out. Joker? Dammit!" I pulled myself to my feet, leaning forward over rubble. "Can anyone hear me on this frequency, Tali, James?" _

_James responded first "We heard the call Garrus, Tali's with me. I'm going as fast as I can to your position but we're still getting heavy ground fire. These fucking husks!" I heard some sort of explosion through my comm and the line went dead. _

Tali spoke and it was like I'd never gone back. "Thanks Garrus, I hope so…" We walked in silence after that, my eyes shifting through the scenery, trying to catch sight of animals, movement, anything at all I suppose. Something that would shed some light on where we'd landed and what called this place home.

The sun shone in through pockets in the trees, leaving splashes of colour on the leafy undergrowth, from a distance it appeared green, as most plant life had the tendency to be, but when the light hit it just right a blue shone out like crystal. "We should examine the plants more closely on our return," I recommended, everyone seemed a little uneasy at the suggestion.

"What do you suppose it is making them glow like that?" James seemed to be assuming the worst, looking up into the trees in hopes of answering his own question.

"We don't have time to stop now, we just keep walking through the forest, you see anything unusual get out your guns- don't fire unless prudent. We don't need to kill a family of monkey; it could disrupt the balance on this planet." I shifted the weight of the tarp to my other shoulder. "Anything happens we call Joker on the comm, tell him our position and await response."

EDI chimed in with her inbuilt compass. "We've walked a total of one point two kilometres from the Normandy, in a south easterly direction- I seem to be picking up on a signal, several in fact."

"A signal of what?" I asked impatiently, doubting there was much that could relay a signal out here. Knowing our luck Cerberus had made a base here and was experimenting on banshees or something.

"A signal of distress-" EDI's voice changed, sounding like a young man. "…We're going down fast, I repeat, we are going down. Spirits, there's no time we-" she blinked. "That's all I can unscramble, the signal is unfortunately corrupt.

"Can you pick up the location?" I wasn't looking ahead, eyes on EDI but turned to look when Liara let out a small gasp. We'd arrived in a huge clearing, tall grass swaying in the light breeze but not tall enough that it was able to disguise the three enormous ships that were now just incinerated scrap metal burning in front of us.

"They look like dreadnoughts…" I pressed my fingers to the comm on my visor. "Come in Joker?"

"Reading you loud and clear."

"We're going to be back a little later than planned."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I promise next chapter will be more action packed. Thanks for reading and reviewing!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Sorry folks, I'm back to work so my updates will be a little slower. A lot of you asked for more 'synthesis', I wanted to get the dead bodies out the way first, to leave future chapters (like this one) open for more interesting things. I think this chapter will hopefully satisfy, it's longer and there's plenty of mind candy too ;)**

* * *

><p><strong>Joker<strong>

Garrus voice rang in my ear. "Come in Joker?"

I was expecting the worst, the party just had to go out and come back empty handed, I didn't think the need for communications would arise. Pressing my finger to my comm unit I responded, hoping I wasn't going to be delivered bad news. "Reading you loud and clear." I responded, mouth dry.

"We're going to be back a little later than planned." The turian sounded apprehensive, not like I expected. There was no gun fire, explosions or the moans of a hundred angry husks- these were all positive signs.

"Understood, take your time." I wasn't keen on them coming back too early anyway, not that I'd let them know that. "Joker out."

Not a lot of cleaning had been taken up, none at all in fact since our plans were set in motion. The emergency generator, providing minor power to the Normandy, malfunctioned shortly after our 'shore party' left. While the generator wasn't strong enough to do much more then work the elevator and light the ship, without it we were plunged into darkness once more.

This would have made cleaning the ship, let alone exiting it, practically impossible, as we were all up in the med bay. Dr Chakwas had led Bethany away from the scene downstairs, Samantha and I joined them on the crew deck, but as the door to the med bay opened, something short circuited jamming the door half way open. While the lack of light would normally be a problem, apparently we'd found a way to combat that minor inconvenience- much to everyone's horror.

We stared at each other in stunned silence; I was the first to break it, unable to say much else. "Shit."

Each bit of visible flesh on our bodies had some form of glowing circuitry running through it. We looked like computer chips, just shaped like bodies and with faces, a bit different to your traditional silicone squares. We examined each other closely, from the lines and dots running over our skin to the colour of ours eyes and the looks on our faces.

I was glowing light neon green; practically invisible against my skin colour if not for the fact it was bright in the darkness. I traced my fingers traced across my arm, I still had the thick hairs, my skin was currently speckled in goosebumps, we were still human for all intents and purposes, however we were now some sort of cross-robot hybrid, or so I assumed. I couldn't feel the circuits, obviously under the surface, protected by something squishy, like my fat maybe. I had a feeling EDI was going to like this, much to everyone's dismay.

Admittedly I couldn't get my head around it, as I looked across at Samantha a 'healthy' shade of blue, Bethany purple tones and Karin a bright yellow, I wondered if I might have been dreaming, or hallucinating, losing my mind in some way.

"How do you suppose we missed this?" Samantha sounded just as shocked and confused, pinching at her skin as if she could peel away the colourful electrodes beneath it. "Nothing appears to have changed, we're still who we were... aren't we?"

Bethany spoke up, sounding like she was disgusted. "It's kinda' difficult to predict what we are now, what if the reapers did this to us? What if we did just turn into tools for their use and disposal?"

I wasn't going to let the reapers scare us again that easily. We didn't get this far just to have them invade our minds and feelings again. "When we left earth the reapers were going too- they went through the relays before they were destroyed- there's no way they could have done something like this to us while they were being attacked... Shepard did something while up on the crucible, I don't know what but it drove away the reapers and who knows... maybe it helped us?" Okay, so I wasn't really one to make the heartfelt speeches, usually I was a lot more cynical and less endearing, but I wasn't going to take it anymore. I wanted to believe Shepard was a hero, no matter what choices were made to get us to this point; I knew they had to be the right ones.

"Joker's right," I could tell the smile on Karin's face was strained as she tried to maintain a sense of calm amongst us. "Commander Shepard would do what's best for all of us, none of us knew we would end up here, neither did the commander..." She trailed off looking sad, rubbing at her upper arm as an uncomfortable silence descended. I think we were all taking a short opportunity there to acknowledge the dead and the assumed dead, maybe even our own lives that were precariously balancing between life and death. Our choices from now on were what would keep us alive, I'd like to hope we'd make the right ones, but how do you know until you see the result?

I felt the need for a conversation change, none of us were keen to continue our current train of thought, it was too painful knowing we were stuck here, unsure of the fate of the universe and our own lives. "I want you guys to stay here while I try to get the power back up and running." This might give me a chance to freak out without ladies present, I sort of felt I needed to be alone.

"I think someone should come with you." Samantha cut in; she looked to me uncertain despite the authority in her voice.

"Like a buddy system?"

"Well it is dark, you might get hurt. We don't really know what this... thing is doing to affect us, what if it's dangerous?"

"Alright, come with me Samantha. Just be aware with the power down we'll be crawling through the Normandy's maintenance shaft It's not a fun job, I've done it before."

"Why did you have to go and do a thing like that?"

I eyed Karin off, her face stark white in the glow emitting from our bodies. "I might tell you about it later."

**Samantha**

Okay, I'll be the first to admit it, crawling through a duct system staring at Joker's ass wasn't what I'd had in mind when I decided to accompany him. I was originally thinking I'd just keep my pistol on me (not that I'd need to use it) and he'd head outside to fiddle with some control panel in the back of the ship- I didn't realise all the brains of this thing were buried deep inside. "You know it's really annoying we couldn't just use the door..."

I could hear a hint of amusement in the man's voice. "Yeah lack of power means those doors are sealed tight, not even a Krogan could get through."

"But we were _right there_, you didn't tell me that all we needed to do was go into the next room!"

"_Sealed tight_. There's no chance we would have been able to get through, just calm down, I know the ladders here somewhere- ah... I got it, just don't fall down the hole, I don't think you'd appreciate the drop."

I crawled blindly, the glow from our bodies not strong enough to provide good visibility. Shuffling slow on hands and knees, keeping my hands out in front in deliberate movements, not wanting to topple into the hole I'd been warned against. I went to place my hand down, no metal met me and I yelped as I tipped forward, catching the ladder rung in my hand as I reached to stop myself leaning forward.

"You okay?"

"Just having a heart attack, I didn't expect the drop so soon." I squeezed into the space, stretching out as I took hold of the ladder in hand and placed my feet on solid metal. Climbing up, I couldn't help but feel suddenly claustrophobic.

"Almost there Traynor," Joker called, his voice echoing around me in the metal confines. When my fingers found purchase on flat metal and then Joker's hand, I heaved myself out, allowing him to pull me to my feet.

"So we're in?"

"This is the server room. I suppose you could call it EDI's brain but I'd rather not pass that analogy around. I had to come in here to allow her access to all her programs- make her truly AI, the collector's had come to take us and it was the only way to save the ship. _I saved her, so she saved me_. Maybe to help herself too, but at this stage I really don't care." I could see the circuit lines around his mouth edged upwards in a smile.

"Is that why you like her?" I found myself asking, perhaps it was slightly forward and not appropriate for the situation, we were still in the middle of a 'crisis' of sorts but I couldn't stop my mouth from talking, my brain didn't know how to tell it no.

"Uhhh... I used to consider her my mom. She was bossy, constantly tried to override my orders and was just a little transparent- she was a holographic at the time. I don't think it was until she got her body, really seemed human that I considered her as such. It's hard to consider something without a face... someone you can relate to. I'm glad I see her that way now though."

I felt like I'd asked much too personal a question but his answer was heartfelt and I couldn't imagine him having these deep feelings prior to his answer. "She's a lucky woman." I said without thinking, hoping he didn't take that the wrong way, I hoped he remembered I was a lesbian or this could get real awkward real fast. "So... time to fix her up I guess?"

"Uhh... yeah. Let's have a look here." I heard him shuffling around and come up with a datapad, he turned it on and thankfully it ran on its own power source, light shining from its holographic screen. "Okay, EDI baby, let's see what's wrong."

He clicked a few buttons on the pad, I wasn't too sure what he was getting up to, being as the pad was external to the main server. "I'm just trying to remote access her system, hopefully we can get a good idea of the damage there..."

I wasn't amazingly smart with this computer stuff, I could work programs on the system but when it came to fixing problems with the machines I was pretty hopeless. Of course even with my limited knowledge on certain subjects, I knew something suddenly wasn't right when Joker dropped the datapad to the ground. He was turning brighter, each of the lines and dots connecting along his body shone brightly the room now visible, he was yelling in shock and then went silent, completely still, his eyes bright white, unstaring. "Joker?"

**Joker**

I groaned and put a hand to my head, feeling my pulse beating beneath my fingers. "Where the hell am I?" This day was turning out to be a nightmare. Between the reapers, dying friends, landing on strange planets and being transformed into some sort of human-robot hybrid I was starting to feel I was in a very bad dream. I wasn't quite sure where I'd ended up but I had a good idea I was somehow _inside_ the Normandy, no longer physically in a room but somehow in its programming.

Surrounded by grey panels, as best as I could describe the scene around me, I faced toward a large orange holographic model of the Normandy, not unlike the one in the command centre. It was see-through, revolving slowly in mid-air, most of its systems were flashing red, obviously displaying its current status, mostly shut down, practically destroyed beyond repair.

I could see I was still me, in the same body with the funny green circuits tracking alongside my veins and arteries in a similar pattern, ten fingers and ten toes. This at least provided me with reassurance, that I could get back to my body and maybe do something to fix the ship while I was in here. Of course figuring out how was the bigger problem on my mind. "Hope Samantha's alright," I imagined whatever happened would freak the poor woman out, but I had no choice but to continue forward in what I was planning on doing.

Each step I took created a new grey platform in front of me. I couldn't determine distance, or height in this strange geometric dwelling. When I reached the ships image I examined closely the breaches in its upper compartments, the hull damage, the offline systems, it may well have been too late to save. I hesitantly reached out my hand, expecting it to pass right through, but the image was solid and I could feel something like static pass up my arm as the Normandy and my circuits lit up, my whole body went rigid and I was flung from the ship as if I'd been round-house kicked in the chest.

"Breach… Breach…"

I tried to draw in breath, listening to the monotone voice somewhere out in the void, it wasn't EDI's voice, I imagined that was a bad sign. I gathered the breach must have been me, I didn't know how all this stuff worked, but EDI must have assumed I was trying to hack into her mainframe or something. I felt my chest, nothing broken and then realised I probably didn't need to breathe anyway- after all my real body would be doing that for me outside of this projection, the thought made my head hurt, I didn't like to imagine the possibilities.

"Defence systems down, unable to determine breach cause, unable to extract program. Defence system down…"

I pulled myself into a standing position, glancing back over to the flashing ships interior. I could have collapsed again, feeling my knees go weak, eyes rolling back and forth as I took in the imagine in front of me. "EDI?" I squeaked.

She looked human, more human then I'd ever seen her before. Blonde hair, blue eyes, red dress with killer heels and the most amazing set of ti- "Jeff? What are you doing inside my server?"

"This is _your_ server? Oh, thought it was someone else's for a minute there." I was surprised I could talk, even if at this stage it was just incoherent babble. "I wish I could give you a clear answer, the emergency system shut down- we all started glowing and in an attempt to fix the ship I somehow ended up… inside you." Wow that sounded dirty.

I watched her walk over with complete fascination, with everything else going on right now I'd easily forget it just be staring at her long enough, she was my ideal woman, heels clacking, bit of thigh showing from the slit in her dress. "How come you look so… human?" I had a tendency to speak my mind, not what was important at the time.

"I am programmed to take on a familiar and well liked image; this one I believe is from 'pin up chicks'-"

"Yeah, don't worry, I don't need reminding."

"How about you Jeff, you look different, I didn't expect you to have your own circuitry. I'm unsure how to respond to this new revelation." She eyed him over, lips layered in red smiling as she eyed him over. "Green suits you."

"Thanks, I think?" He blinked his glowing eyes, still not sure if what was occurring in front of him was reality. "So, it's really you EDI? I'm really here? In your server?"

"Yes Jeff, currently I'm assisting the crew several kilometres away but I have enough power to project myself here also, I'm currently transferring all crucial data from the ship to my physical body, as a safety measure. I won't be able to assist with the power issue until I'm in a closer proximity to the area, you however may be able to resolve it on your own with my help."

"Well if you're going to kick me on my arse I won't be of much use," He warned, smiling to show he was joking. "Maybe I'll have a use for this weird new power… unless it's like I imagined and we are all human batteries now, floating in stasis pods somewhere."

"That's highly unlikely and illogical. I could not currently be in a stasis pod, so I would not currently be here."

Joker shook his head. "But you might just be a projection of what I think is real, in which case this is all a lie?"

"Let's focus on the problem shall we?"

"I'll try."

**James**

If someone told me that when I grew up and was a big strong soldier I'd be walking through the forest with a bunch of aliens and a robot, I'd probably laugh them out of my house. Now that it was a reality I felt the experience was far more sobering, especially when you were dragging a bunch of dead people along in the process. I was never keen on Shepard's idea to be friendly with other species, sure I'd had a dog when I was a kid but that was a pet, it didn't talk back or tell you what to do.

The wildlife around me appeared Earth-like in nature, my heart ached at the thought, even with the reapers gone the earth was currently in ruins and we were on this strange planet unable to provide aid. Being earth born and raised I was, unlike the others, feeling a little more hostile at the moment, I hoped that an animal would appear soon, I was dying to shoot something, even a lowly pyjak.

Even I knew that the others had suffered a lot. I saw Palaven, Rannoch, even Tachunka was in ruins (though long before the reaper threat), I wasn't the only one who'd lost their home, but I still felt like the only one who was man enough to do something about his feelings (the girls counted in that too).

Of course things became more interesting when we stepped into the scrap yard, Garrus remarked they looked like dreadnoughts but I was sure they were much too small. I pulled my shotgun from its holster, armoured hand clutching tight to the weapon as an uneasy feeling ran shivers down my spine. "I don't like this, too open- too many places for anything to hide."

I noticed Tali had the same thoughts as I did, holding her pistol close to her body. "Do you suppose they were sucked into the mass relays blast also?"

Garrus, always one to avoid sugar-coating assured us of the worst. "There were a lot of ships up in the sky; I'd imagine they'd all be burning shrapnel now, on one planet or another. There may be more where this came from, we should search for survivors, and anything that might help us back at the Normandy." I wasn't a fan of the way he was so negative all the time. It'd be nice for one god damn alliance ship to be up in those skies free to roam independently.

EDI quickly had her say, backed up by facts and figures. I didn't understand what Joker saw in it, I mean she looked good but she didn't really say anything I understood. "I recommend caution, these ships may be unstable and as mentioned earlier we're out in the open. The expression 'sitting ducks' comes to mind."

Garrus pulled out his sniper, surveying the area with his sight. "I don't know what a duck is, but I'd rather not be one if we're not supposed to. Just take it slow guys, no sudden movements."

We traipsed slowly through the tall grass over to the nearest ship. It was intimidating in size, we were specks in comparison to a ship of this magnitude, I felt queasy as we left our dead nearby the bay door, split up into two groups and began our search of the vessels.

EDI and I went off together, entering the main hull of the first ship. It was bright; the lights in here were like those in a surgical setting, again showing the destruction like that on the Normandy. Dead bodies, broken metal, fire and debris. It was a horror story that just got worse. "EDI?" I turned around, she was still a short distance away, stock still, I didn't know what she was doing- there was no marker to tell me if she was aware or not.

She blinked, and glanced over to look at me. "Sorry James, I was momentarily distracted by a problem at the Normandy, powers out, Jokers… assisting. I'm now focused on our mission once more. Please forgive me for allowing this to take me momentarily."

"Uh, yeah sure. As long as everything's okay?" I didn't think she could get 'distracted', I suppose she was more human like then I thought. "Well let's keep searching then." She nodded, but the look on her face was contemplating me, it made me feel I was being x-rayed, I didn't like it.

"Right behind you." She spoke; I could still feel her eyes on the back of my head as I walked. Like she knew something I didn't.

By the time all three ships had been searched our death toll was at an all-time high. Zero alive, burnt to crisps and crushed to death- he remembered learning about the powerful ships and how necessary it was to discharge their drive core before landing, obviously there was no time and the impact would have killed them before the burns did. "Unlucky sons of bitches."

The sweat poured down my face, I was starved and we'd gained nothing new but some basic human food supplies. He hoped there was more for Garrus and Tali down the track or they'd be dealing with some problems. That still left the dead bodies though, ours, not those of the other alliance vessels.

"We should leave them here among the other alliance men and women- if we were to do something with those we already have we would need to do the rest, I can't commit to such a project." Liara lowered the bodies once more, blue glow from her biotics gone, as if to prove a point. I could tell the excursion had taken its toll.

I passed out my waterskin to her and she gratefully accepted, guzzling some of the clear liquid before handing it back looking disappointed that she couldn't take more. They needed to keep some for the travels back to the Normandy, it was still hot and they were all wearing their armour, not helping them cool down much at all.

Garrus didn't look happy. "We should come back here tomorrow with something large enough to take more of the remaining cargo-" He stopped short, glancing out toward the middle of the clearing. "Get your guns out everyone, I'm hearing something…"

My shotgun was still in my hand, I gripped tighter too it, aiming it toward our right flank into the grasses. I saw the grass shifting, not from the wind but from something slinking through them, and suddenly the erratic action became more noticeable with more movement- more of whatever was stalking through the bush.

Liara went to step out to the side and I stopped her. "Don't… you'll give away our position."

I tried to keep it quiet but I didn't know if whatever was coming at us might have better hearing then we did. They were obviously low to the ground, trying to keep out of sight, it was working, none of us could get a good shot at them unless we were trying to hit into the floor.

EDI was the exception, even with her distraction, she shot her pistol and we heard a yelp, they were down one number now. Obviously being a robot had its advantages, great line of sight. A growling picked up and then whatever was in the underbrush leapt out, I felt the impact as it hit my chest, complete pandemonium broke out and I heard gun fire around me. I was staring up at some sort of hyena like creature. With its long, sharp teeth in my face I couldn't exactly get a good look at it, I just knew it had four legs, an ugly temper and at this proximity I could tell it was pulsing with the same strange glow we'd seen on the plants.

I'd lost my shotgun nearby when I'd been pounced on and it was trying to rip into my neck, I tried to clutch a hold of it at its head and shoulders, anywhere I could find purchase to fight it off me. I heard a shot above me; the creature yelped as blood splattered my face, it went limp, a bullet hole right between its eyes. I threw the creature off, found my shotgun and glanced over at Garrus who was putting his assault rifle away.

"Thanks man, what the hell was that thing?"

"I don't know but it was out for you."

Everyone else seemed to be okay; I wiped at the blood on my face and glanced down at the creatures we'd been attacked by. There were six, seven if you counted EDI's first kill, it wasn't glowing anymore, obviously death didn't take kindly to it. When I got close up to the creature I pushed back its dark fur, it was very skinny, unhealthy looking even, but I could see beneath the skin this odd circuitry that tracked through, now a dull black beneath pink flesh. Its eyes were glazed, a flat blue, no pupil, just creepy looking sclera.

My eyes roved to EDI, who was examining the creatures like I did, I had a feeling she knew better than me though. "Let's go take a look at those plants now," I suggested, not wanting to stick around this area much longer. It might help me get an idea of what EDI was so hung up on.

* * *

><p><strong>Again thanks for reviewing; I hope this chapter was more to your liking!<strong>


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thank you for your reviews and story subscriptions! It gives me the motivation I need to keep this going.**

**Can I get some votes on Shepard's preferred gender? It'll help me decide which direction to run some of the fic. **

* * *

><p><strong>Tali<strong>

I was expecting a fight, James and I had our guns out from the beginning. It came as no surprise to me when I discovered we were being stalked, naturally the smells of the dead attracting creatures from out in the bushes. I was used to the confines of the migrant fleet ships; where everything was visible, tall grass made me uncomfortable. I required good visibility, not just because I wore a mask, but because that's the only way I knew, as long as I could see the ground I was a good fighter, now I was relying on a sense I couldn't use too readily: my hearing. It was too _organic_ even Rannoch was quite barren, more a desert planet, with some trees and shrubs littering the ground, the landscape was visible for miles, making it easier to plan an attack.

EDI was the first to fire, the creature's great yelp letting us all know she'd hit her target. The rest of the creatures sprung from the grass, a heavy body covered in fur flew toward me, I didn't think, just reacted, pulling the trigger on my pistol. My aim was fair, the creature dropped to the ground in front of me. I'd hit a front paw, the bullet spraying blood, and shockingly an electrical pulse, as if it was geth. It had another three legs, but couldn't get to its feet, too sore and uncoordinated. Its face: pointed snout, sharp teeth, blue eyes, was no longer hostile, whimpering and writhing. I shot it again, this time my aim was true, the creature slumped its head, no longer breathing.

The others put up a good fight, the dead bodies of the black furry creatures littering the floor now. James face looked a mess, covered in blood from Garrus's head shot; I'd noticed the same pulse on contact then too, like the creatures were synthetic. I thought maybe I should mention my assessment, but could I have been imagining things? It was hot in my envirosuit, I was hungry and thirsty. My hesitation cost me, James spoke up first, the seeds of doubt took over and I kept my mouth shut. Why I did that I couldn't say, just my way I guess, if I didn't feel the moment was right, if I doubted myself, I didn't speak, a regrettable tendency, but at this stage I didn't think it would hold anything important. We still killed the creatures the same way as we would have any other.

As a group, we headed back toward the forest now, we left the dead behind, unable any longer to justify the task of burying them, leaving them amongst the alliance fleet ships, we all felt bad about it but we were in no fit state to continue on and then travel. I trudged slowly through the grass now, my feet, down to my six toes ached as I walked. While my feet were an issue, other things so far were not. Why hadn't I succumbed to a serious infection by now- a cold, the plague? I had taken plenty of medication but I did not think that it would be this assistive; I should have broken out with something by now. I glanced to the bad patch job I'd supplied to the break in my armour, it definitely wasn't good enough to keep the external atmosphere from leaking in, the lack of illness was disturbing, an odd opinion I'd imagine from most other species.

When we reached the forest again the shade was comforting, still being in encasing armour kept the heat in, but I could see more clearly with the sun no longer reflecting off my mask. The shimmer of blue that rippled off the leaves was disconcerting, it suggested these plants might be more than just plants, but we didn't instantly investigated, giving some distance between us and the clearing. We dropped down amongst some shrubs to catch our breath, staring intently at the plants in the light, these shone more brilliantly, like crystal.

I reached out my hand for the nearest one, startled however with an exclamation to my side. "I knew it!" James was the first to say, pulling the leaf from one plants stem causing an electrical crackle to zap the air and dissipate. My eyes widened, shocked by this revelation as the rest of the stems circuits turned a dark green and drooped on one side. "When I saw those _things _back there the same thing happened, it was shiny blue and these patterns were etched in its skin."

James didn't honestly seem the type to pay that much attention or have the ability to make a hypothesis a reality. I suppose when anyone set their mind to it, they could accomplish what they were after.

"What does this mean?" Liara's face looked disgusted, when something wasn't familiar to her she did have the tendency to react in an ill manner, granted I wasn't exactly behaving in a befitting fashion either, if they could all see my face!

EDI, ever the scholar went to answer Liara's question. "These plants contain circuitry, they are emitting electrical impulses and each plant is connected to the next via their root systems. I would imagine this connection goes far deeper than the roots however, further into the ground where it is impossible to establish further networks, they are transferring data between each other."

EDI's explanation left us all momentarily boggled; if that was really the case then this inferred that the plant life had evolved beyond simple organic necessity, this planet had all its organic components turned into a basic sentient machine. I shivered, thinking of the geth and while they had been helping my people on Rannoch to rebuild their homes, and assisting in the Great War, I still wasn't comfortable with the idea of machinery binding with biology, taking over the planet's surface with circuits and robotics. "Is it dangerous?" Was my first thought, swallowing despite my dry mouth.

"Only time will be able to tell, though these plants do not seem to be harmful. I sense those animals attacked due to hunger and not neural stimulation from the plant life. I hope that makes you feel somewhat better Tali, at this stage there are too many variables for me to calculate."

I didn't feel better but I smiled through my mask. "I don't like the thought but I'm fine."

Garrus had been quiet this whole time, when he spoke I looked over, not sure what to expect from him. "So suppose the organics here have changed, does that extend to us?" He removed his glove, eyes narrowing as he stared down at his fingers. He appeared completely at ease with the idea, more curious then disturbed.

EDI sounded surprised. "The light here is too bright to detect it easily, but I suspect that you are all now also partially synthetic. I did not wish to alarm you all earlier but Mr. Moreau has already exhibited signs of the synthesis, he is currently assisting me in the ships server to restore power to-" she stopped her speech momentarily, eyes closed and reopened. "-the Normandy." She continued as if she hadn't stopped, turning away from us with her fingers to her lips.

I wasn't hung up with EDI's momentary lack of power, more concerned by the idea that _we_, unfortunate victims of unnecessary synthesis, could suddenly be part machine. "That's impossible, I would never- I couldn't-" I stopped my babbling, almost tempted to rip at my envirosuit to expose whatever parasitic machinery that might have melded to me. I'd spent most of my life fighting the geth, to give the quarians- me- back our home world- synthetics had been my greatest enemy and now there was a chance I might partially be one? "Keelah!" I yelled out my frustration, stalking off from the group into the bushes, sore feet be damned.

**Joker**

When I said I'd try to focus on the problem, I was kind of lying. Of course I _needed_ to focus on the problem, or we'll have a rough few days getting around the Normandy, but I was preoccupied by other things, namely- EDI. I knew it wasn't what she'd ever really look like, if she had real looks, it was hard to say if I'd actually ever seen her in a 'true' form, I had to wonder now whether I could possibly see her any other way then the robot form she took. I knew I was only enjoying her now because she was projecting one of my favourite 'actresses', but it still wasn't her, it was just what I wanted to see.

"I'm going to allow you access to the ships server, hopefully you won't be flung across the room next time- it's what I need to do to block wayward viruses from hacking, gives me time to put up my barriers." Smiling apologetically she took my hand and led me back over to the holographic ship, entwining our fingers in one hand she placed her other hand to the ships image. The voice in the void changed its tune.

"Access granted to unknown user. All systems down, severe damage to key areas, requires manual restart and re-programming. Ship currently unstable, caution recommended."

"Does it hurt?" I asked her, looking concerned now.

"I don't feel pain, but this added lack of function does have its downfalls. I would prefer the ship to be operational, simply so I don't have to run so many background programs to transfer information. Of course I am curious now, figuratively speaking. If you have possessed some of the functions of a machine, could I then possess some of the functions of a human?"

I felt my stomach drop, I hadn't thought of that- why didn't I think of that? What if she got hurt, what if she could bleed now? Could there be a possibility of organs and nerves beneath her metal frame. Was the risk of organics becoming synthetics, lead to the added disadvantage of synthetic things becoming organic?

No, I'd seen the destruction of the Normandy; it was still just a ship, no blood, no muscle, no bone. _Ah, but the ship doesn't have EDI's ability to process emotion; it doesn't contain the ability to behave organic. _I pushed that ugly thought from my mind, sour taste on my tongue. I didn't like to think like that, it was impairing my judgement.

It was then I remembered we were still holding hands. I took the other up and entwined our fingers together again, squeezing tightly. "I don't like you like this, can you change it… I want to see _my_ EDI, the one I know best." The more protected one.

"Whatever you want Jeff," She was eager to please as she changed in front of me, flesh became metal and I felt better then, reassured. Things were back to normal, she was as I liked her, I didn't need flashy images to make me want her. "Is this preferable? I let my hair down so to speak." It was no longer in its thick helmet state, cascading in curls around her shoulders.

"Much preferred." I assured her, already feeling calmer.

She stared down at our hands, she probably just thought of what we were doing as a way to transfer information- which was what it was. I took it to mean more, I was only human, fuelled by emotion- okay not _only_ human anymore but you get my meaning.

"Shall we fix the ship?"

"In a minute…"

"Jeff?"

I hadn't registered that my hands had moved to wrap around her waist or that my face was in close proximity to hers. If I was going to worry about her, I at least wanted one memory, one that wasn't tainted by fear or dread. Just her and I together.

I kissed her. Of course, it wasn't one of those ones you see in the movies, the ones were he sweeps her off her feet, but I loved it anyway. When I pulled back she was still as a statue, frozen in my arms. "EDI?" I was fighting back a laugh, the look on her face comical.

She blinked a few times, put her fingers to her lips and gave me a look, I couldn't register any emotion, I think I'd caught her off guard. "I've seen people do that before, I knew eventually we might but… I'll have to consider this a while. I don't seem to have an appropriate response."

"That's okay, take your time, let's fix your up shall we?"

"I suppose that would be ideal." She looked away again, if she had eyebrows they would be furrowed.

Uh-oh, I think I broke her, more then she already was. "So what first?"

**Garrus**

There was one subject Tali was still touchy toward: synthetics, I watched her practically pulling at her head scarf, stuttering as she fought to get out words and then stalk off into the bushes, away from us. I stood instantly to my feet, wanting to help calm her, I didn't think giving her time to think over the situation would be a good idea, leaving her alone in uncharted bush could get her lost or worse still, killed.

"Tali!" I called out, as I got close she pulled out her gun, my mandibles shifted, mouth open in shock- I thought she was going to shoot me as she spun around, aiming toward me, but she shot twice down at the floor into the shrubs at my feet. The electrical discharge this time was impossible to miss, the two plants she'd hit letting out a loud snap as they lit up briefly and then became dark. It was as if the colour was leached from them, the damaged plants she had shot died instantly in front of us, and several plants around those also became deceased, their circuitry dimming.

I was curious as I kicked out my three toes at the leaves, which fell from their stems and crumbled. "I'm sorry, that was unnecessary, I just couldn't handle it. The very idea gives me goosebumps." She hugged herself, around the middle, clumsily putting her gun back into its holster with the other hand. "_Everything_ I've fought against is now _inside_ of me…"

I walked over slowly, in case she got the idea to grab out the gun again, and wrapped my arms around her, difficult with the shape in which the collar of my armour extended. I was always awkward in situations like this but she needed a friend and I was probably the closest person to her right now. "You're still the same quarian Tali, no matter what else you may be made of. I know that you haven't changed, I'll always think of you as the quiet kid on her pilgrimage, putting the universe before her own needs."

She sniffled in her suit, I wasn't expecting that, I didn't really know to respond to those sorts of emotions, but I gave her a tight squeeze, trying not to make things awkward. "Thanks Garrus," I heard her hiccough, as she spoke. "I don't think I'm quite ready to head back yet."

"That's okay, take your time, just try not to shoot at me again. I'm pretty good under pressure but that scared the spirits out of me."

**Liara**

Watching Tali walk off with Garrus on her heel made me feel awful. I felt old; I was only one hundred and six. While to a human and especially a salarian this was beyond old age, as an asari I was merely a child, I shouldn't have felt like a matriarch past her prime. This whole experience had been shattering, exhaustion had set in long ago with the extended use of my biotics and now with each discovery we made, each member of our small team seemed to be suffering for it. I wanted to follow them but that didn't feel right. Since I became the shadow broker I had felt less connected to my friends, like I spent more time behind my many computer screens then spending time with the people I cared about.

I regretted it now, I had nothing to show for my status as the shadow broker, with the ship in ruins it was unlikely I would be able to get to my old information and if I could recover it there would be nothing to do with it. It was depressing to think that my friends could have died and my focus was on a computer instead. I was glad I got this second chance, not many do; I would focus more on those around me and help where I can.

The gun shots made me jump; the sound of a hundred wings flapping as birds took flight, screeching as they fled made my blood run cold. Were they in trouble, had something else come to pick us off?

EDI settled my fears. "I detected the bullets did not hit any particular target, it sounded like they embedded in soil, there is a disturbance amongst the plants. From Tali's stress levels I believe she was 'venting' her frustrations."

James scoffed. "Shooting turians always helps me vent my frustrations…"

"When did you shoot a turian?"

"I friendly fired on Garrus from time to time. He liked me to test his shields."

I rolled my eyes; poor EDI had a lot to process around this numbskull. "I believe in James' original sentence he was being sarcastic."

"Ah, I'm still working on sarcasm; I lack the necessary tone of voice, perhaps I could use some lessons."

James seemed to find this amusing. "Trust me honey, you don't need to add sarcasm to your repertoire. You're the one woman I can rely on to tell it like it is."

Eventually Tali and Garrus resurfaced from the trees, I was comforted to see them both alive and well. Tali was quiet, apologising for her outburst, none of us felt it was necessary, I could understand her distaste for the idea. I don't think it had quite sunk in yet for me, I was trying not to think about it, preoccupying my mind with the 'what ifs'. Hardly any better.

I don't think Garrus had really been surprised; James seemed to think it was 'cool' and EDI being synthetic was probably just excited for something she had in common with the rest of us. I ran a hand through the crest on my head; I think we were all ready to head back to the Normandy now, looking for shelter, food and rest.

**Joker**

I was really trying to focus this time, honest, I'd gotten the craziness out my system, now I wanted to help EDI restore power to the ship. As of right now I was going to be a good pilot and do some real work instead of faffing around with pretty co-pilots.

"So what first?"

"We must determine what has caused this power failure, if the ships damage has been too great it will require manual repair, this could have serious consequences, it would take time and resources we likely don't have. It is already damaged enough, this ship will never fly again Jeff, but it may still prove as temporary shelter for us all.

I gritted my teeth, all the effort I put into keeping from major destruction and even EDI- the ship herself- was telling me it was useless. "The ships fine, she'll run, we just need a bit of scrap metal and she'll be good as new."

"Is that what you are telling me or something you are trying to tell yourself?" She honestly looked uncertain and I found myself hating how she could do that. The question was a harsh one, but she asked it so innocently, as if she truly just wanted to know.

"Is there other ways the power could have gone out?" I changed the subject, not wanting to lie to EDI, nor admit it to myself.

"The generator may have simply failed; you would need to go to engineering to fix it. You may find this difficult however; Tali or I would make good substitutes."

"Is there an easy way?"

"Well hopefully the generator short circuited, this can easily be restarted from the console in front of you. I cannot determine if it will restore full power to the ship or merely basic necessities such as lighting, doors and the elevator. I can reassure you that water services are still fully functional, running off a separate route."

"Well as long as I can use the little boy's room that's a relief."

She ignored my joke and moved on; it mustn't have been a good one. "You will need to run the diagnostic Jeff; I am using up too much of my own power sources to maintain contact with you. We are returning shortly, I estimate an hour's travel by foot, if you run the diagnostics program you should have help there if you run into issues. When I have returned I can take over if you have not finished then."

"You're going to leave me in here?" I was concerned at the idea. "What if I get stuck in here?"

"Just extract yourself from the program." She smiled and disappeared.

Her exit left me momentarily dumbfounded, but my brain soon caught up to my mouth. "EDI! How do I extract myself?" No answer. Oh boy, fixing the ship might be the easy part.

I placed my hand upon the holographic and the flood of information was exhilarating. I wasn't thinking, I just instantly knew, the drive core was unable to operate without power; major power was at an all-time zero, minor power run by the generator also lacking. There was a third generator, separate from all other ship services that pumped water from the tank to the sinks and toilets; this was running at an amazing one hundred percent. Well at least something was going right.

"Uhhh… run diagnostic."

The voice in the void responded. "Unable to understand 'uhhh'," It imitated me poorly. "Running diagnostic now."

I almost slapped my forehead; I'd need to learn 'computer speak one-oh-one' from EDI when I made it out of this. "Major power sources shut down, damage is as follows." It went through an entire list of where the damage on the ship lay, pointing each out to me with small icons on the holograph. By the time it had finished I was feeling less optimistic about the ships fate. That was a lot of repair work to both to cabling and the ships outer shell. "Minor generators two and three no longer functioning, running diagnostic now." I waited momentarily as it ran its program. "Minor damage detected, remote restart possible. Would you like to start remote restart?"

"Yes." I thought adding 'please' would be unnecessary.

"Running remote restart." I could practically feel the power turning back on, it felt like such a high, EDI must love running this thing from the inside. "Remote restart complete, minor power restored." Again the image in front of me flashed which systems were now functional due to the fix, the lights, elevators, doors and even certain extras such as the bar fridge and window shutters were running. At least we could come out of this with some hard alcohol.

"Extract from Normandy Server." I hazarded a guess. That had been too easy- I bet something else would go wrong in the near future just to compensate.

"Extracting from server." I felt momentary pain, as if being ripped apart and when I re-awoke I was in the server room. The first breath I took was deep into my lungs, burning my throat as my chest heaved and I began coughing uncontrollably.

**Samantha**

"Joker? Come in Joker?" I jumped at the chance, yanking the head set off Joker's head, he was creeping me out an hour ago, now he was just 'there', still glowing, standing stock still, the occasional mumble but otherwise completely lost to me.

"Garrus, it's Traynor?"

"ETA half an hour, is everything alright?"

"Not really…" I didn't what to say, they didn't know about this yet, they might not take to the news too kindly. "The powers not back on yet I mean, so we're currently still in the dark. But everything else is fine; we've just been working to get it back up and running."

"Alright, keep trying and we'll help as soon as we can."

I was disappointed when he disconnected, I didn't think I could take much more of Joker but I didn't want to leave him here. "Back to the waiting game hey Jeff?" He muttered something I didn't understand, nothing changing as he went back to staring into dead space. I wasn't sitting much longer however when suddenly the lights flashed on, and I was momentarily blinded.

Jeff stopped glowing and fell forward onto his hands and knees, coughing up his lungs. I was a nervous wreck not expecting such a sudden departure from his inert state. "Thank god, I thought I was going to have to leave you here."

"How long have I been out?" He asked me hoarsely.

* * *

><p><strong>Thanks for reviewing! <strong>


	5. Chapter 5

**Karin**

I could easily diagnose when something wasn't right, not just from a medical perspective, by sensing emotion and expression. Bethany had struck me as needing space and time to recover, while I think we all did, she couldn't get past her feelings to focus on what was more important. Maybe that was why she was guarding the war room and not out on the battlefield, I didn't really care, it was not my place to judge, even if I occasionally couldn't help myself.

I'd led her to the med bay, away from what had been the CIC, completely ruined, to provide her refuge. Now in the dark, save for the glow from our bodies, as we waited for Samantha and Joker to return, we were no longer calm and collected, the anxiety climbing with the heat that was dispersing through the Normandy due to the lack of a working cooling system. I sat in my chair, while Bethany took up a place on one of the cots; we were getting impatient, merely because there was nothing else to do. "How are you feeling?" I provided her, still concerned for her mental health.

"I'm okay now, I was just so angry with how they spoke about everyone-" She stopped herself and I could make out the purple circuits on her shoulders rising and falling quickly in a shrug. "I know they meant nothing by it but after everything else we've lost… it just seemed wrong to take it for granted. We're still alive and everyone else didn't even get a chance. At least we get to try to build a new life."

"At this stage I do not consider us lucky nor unlucky I suppose. This could go both ways, good or bad. We should take a leaf out of Commander Shepard's book, make the right choices, the one's that will help _all_ of us, I would rather not take too many risks and end up burning all our bridges."

Bethany made a noise I could only assume was agreeing, her words confirming my thought. "I know. I let my emotions get in the way of my better judgment. I thought I was a soldier."

"You are. With that comes some responsibility but you're also human and with that comes some emotions we cannot ignore." I sighed and put my hand beneath my desk, feeling around briefly before my hand wrapped around its target. "Would you like a drink of Serrice Ice Brandy?" I asked her, reading the label off the pale yellow glow of my hand. "It might make you feel better, not much to do now while we wait regardless."

"I'd love one," her response coming from closer to my side, obviously eager as she came to retrieve some.

We only had one drink, I didn't want us both tipsy and giggly when things really started to kick off and in a situation like this it was best to keep your head. Bethany was thankful though, I had felt the warming liquid hit my throat and it calmed me considerably, I hoped it had the same effect on my companion across from me. Hopefully our stomachs were still fully functional and alcohol tolerated by our synthetic bodies.

"That was nice." Bethany mumbled from the cot, handing the bottle back to me, I put it away in its spot beneath my desk.

"I'm glad to hear it. Do you suppose Joker and Samantha are doing okay?" I guessed it had been at least an hour since they'd left us, our fidgeting had stopped briefly while we enjoyed the brandy's touch but now with little to distract I worried we'd start feeling a little stir crazy.

"I can't imagine anything going seriously wrong," We both looked toward where the server room door would be, having not heard a sound due to the extremely thick metal of the Normandy's innards, we could only predict the possibilities. "I mean, Joker cares about EDI, he wouldn't risk anything that might hurt her, if he wasn't sure about something he wouldn't blindly plough ahead anyway. Would he?"

"No, I don't suppose so. He's a smart lad though- even if he doesn't always listen. I'm sure he's found some way to restore power to the ship, it's just taking time."

As if on cue the lights flickered and returned to full functionality. We were scrunching our eyes to see properly through the haze the light created, working to adjust from the pitch black confines we were trapped in only moments ago.

The door to our left regained its green 'open' interface and slowly the door slide aside to reveal a very puffed Joker and Samantha who looked stunned as she held him up, one of his arms around her shoulder. "That was incredible." He muttered after he'd caught his breath, Traynor dumping him onto a cot in a seated position.

"Totally creepy, you ever do that to me without fair warning again and I might have to show you the barrel of my gun at close range." She glared.

I wasn't sure what was going on, but I imagined Joker had stumbled onto something while he worked to fix the power problem. "What exactly are you on about?"

"He lit up like a Christmas tree and completely blanked on me." Her voice was full of wonder. "I had no idea what he was doing but he was bright and stiff and…" She finished dead-pan. "Immensely boring. Sitting on a crate for an hour was not what I had planned when I suggested I back him."

I was still bemused but I at least now had some minor understanding. Bethany still stared in shocked silence, I wasn't sure if she was trying to understand it or not. "So what happened Joker?"

He cleared his throat, hand on his chest. Now that I could see I found my omni-tool and quickly slipped it on, attempting to examine him, unhappy with the way he was breathing and coughing. "No harm done doc, think I drew in too much breath when I was 'waking up' so to speak."

"You didn't collapse did you?"

Samantha was grimacing. "Not until he came out of it. Wasn't unconscious though…"

Joker sounded like he was on a high, his eyes sparkling (this time not due to our new synthetic additions). "I don't know how to explain this properly but I was _inside_ the Normandy. Like we're inside her now but I was actually in the servers… like inside the programming." He looked off into space, eyebrows scrunched. I couldn't see anything untoward about him, but he was speaking and acting somewhat strange, rocking back and forth on the cots edge. "It was _so cool._" He added in an excited afterthought.

"Inside the program?" I repeated with bemusement, my face appearing slightly 'deer-in-headlights' like. "You managed to network with EDI?" I was slightly sceptical of this announcement, after all it wasn't something we'd ever done before Shepard's 'geth heretics' episode, in which she required a pod to access the network. If we had say, evolved beyond what we were, did that mean we had reached beyond mere mortality? If we could enter a machine and work with them, did that mean we still would age, need nutrients, sleep and even die? I was merely speculating further, beyond the possible perhaps, but there were so many unknowns. I began to feel giddy, sitting down beside Joker on the cot. "It all seems rather far-fetched. Perhaps you were merely hallucinating?"

"Impossible." Samantha shook her head. "We did nothing else in that room and the power has returned. He was able to stand there, doing nothing for the entire time eyes and… circuits glowing so bright they were white. It was like something from a horror movie."

Joker looked disappointed now. "Damn, that would have been pretty awesome to see too…" He admitted, scratching at his beard absent minded.

I sighed, in my old age I didn't really work too closely with technology, just when I had to write up medical reports and do research. I think synthesis was wasted on me, but I didn't want anyone to hear me thinking that way. "We should discuss this with the others, now that the powers back on we should work on the ship, she's in bad shape and Joker seems to be medically stable if not for minor muscle damage in your arm- likely from the crash. I'd imagine you'll have to take it easy if you plan on scrubbing the floor, but otherwise the sooner we get this done, the sooner we can concentrate on more important things."

"Like food…" Samantha groaned her stomach rumbling loudly in the confines of the med bay.

**Garrus**

I walked at the back, EDI leading the front, I felt obligated to protect the others, even if they were more than capable of taking care of themselves. As Shepard's right-hand-man, I felt obligated to follow the same role without the commander there, watching everyone's six. With my assault rifle, an M-15 Vindicator in my hand I felt slightly more able leaving the bush then I had upon entering, when dragging the tarp we didn't have hands free for weapons.

EDI's voice travelled back to me from her position as leader. "Full power has been restored to the Normandy; we shall definitely be back before nightfall, in which case we should lock up tight. Animals will still be attracted to the area; with the ship closed up we'll be safer. We don't have the ability to get off the ground but the basic electronics are all working and the rations stores are plentiful."

I roved my eyes amongst the trees, general location stats running across my visor. Nothing exciting, just longitude/latitude coordinates, a bit of general information on the plant life, expected elevation increases and drops, stuff that helps me navigate over the land. I tend to ignore it a lot of the time when walking, but in a fire fight it was very useful, pinpointing enemies from miles away. It made my shot with an M-97 Viper a hell of a lot more accurate. "Do you suppose we should need a lookout?" I asked, more than happy to take up the post.

"It may be an idea. The top of the ship would be the safest place to post one." She responded. "I suppose with the damage to the tail end she could be liable to attract animals, we should barrier that section of the ship in what little day light we'll have left, to avoid animals entering the wiring, cargo and food stores."

"Short term solution boss." James called back to me. "We could strip those ships of their metal?"

"A task for tomorrow I'm afraid." Liara sounded weary, obviously lacking the strength to do much more then trudge. We fell into silent step then, the crunch of the leaves beneath our feet the only sound to counter those of the birds high above us screeching and carrying on.

My eyes strayed to Tali and stayed there the rest of the trek. She was worried about illness but still seemed fighting fit and I was still worried after her outburst. It wasn't like Tali to lose her temper but I understood the reasoning behind it. It was more than unusual that she should shoot out (literally) in such rage, but she missed my talons so I couldn't complain. My shields would have been more then up for a couple of rogue bullets, but I didn't want to test the theory. "Let's just take it easy guys, keep up that steady pace." I was trying to encourage, knowing there was little else to be positive for but a hot meal and a cold drink on our return.

**Liara**

While I was looking forward to returning to the Normandy, my interest lay in the life around us and all the possibilities. If the plants were networking, all I would need to do is find the signal, exploit it and I would have plenty of information to add to my database. Of course I knew exploiting the world around me would be wrong and that my days as the shadow broker were over, I still couldn't help but get excited by the possibilities. It kept me from thinking about my hunger and sore feet.

We could see where the trees thinned, the gaps showing more between each log as we came closer to our target. The great brightness of sunshine on metal suddenly blinded us momentarily and then the ship came into view, a beacon of hope for us who were losing their ability to continue. "Finally." I murmured, excited now as we returned to familiarity, EDI was a good leader, she'd lined us up perfectly with the ships door.

When we made it into the cool of the ships interior it was to find the CIC completely devoid of the destruction previous when we had landed. The objects that had broken were no longer in the area and things that had fallen had been placed where they belong. There was a lacking of bodies, due to our hard work and any blood that had remained had been scrubbed. It was now the Normandy as it should be; minus most of its crew, but enough that there was plenty to still celebrate despite it all.

I was honestly shocked by the hard work put in by the four we'd left behind, the lights were shining on the gleaming floor, reflecting off its surface. EDI informed us of where we needed to be. "There are no life forms on this floor; they are in the mess hall awaiting our return." We squeezed into the elevator taking it down a floor, not sure what to expect, I was pleasantly surprised when the smell of cooking hit me. Everyone was happy to see each other in one piece; Joker quickly took up EDI in an embrace, glad to see her return safely minus any bullet holes, the rest of us not so quick to jump on one another but the chatter that began amongst us was unmistakably words of praise for what each group had accomplished.

I decided I was better off helping in the kitchen, removing my armour to wear more comfortable attire; I began to assist where I could to make the meal come faster. Several foods were began laden onto chopping boards and cut, others just getting to the pan, obviously they'd only began cooking when we had arrived back at the ship and while I didn't eat dextro food, I thought it best I help prepare it as the others had little idea what to do.

For a time we didn't discuss the events of what had happened, simply resting and setting up meals, I think we were all too hungry to really care, it didn't change anything, we would find out soon enough what the other had done in the last few hours. When everything was prepared we all sat around the large table together- something that had been difficult to do previously but now seemed to be easily achieved, we began conversation.

EDI spoke first, nothing in front of her but her arms folded on the table. "I have shut the Normandy's main door and locked it, we are however still unsecure with the damage to the ships main body. I suggest fixing it once we have finished refuelling," She recommended, watching us all eating her expressions impossible to judge. She may have been curious, I could never tell, somehow Joker knew exactly what she was doing, but her face was a blank slate for me.

The shore party discussed our exploration at length, how we found the clearing, the large alliance ships, searching found the crew all dead, and being attacked by the strange furred creatures. We didn't bring up the synthesis, none of us really wanting to draw attention to it in Tali's quiet state, she ate while we all spoke, supplying our own version of events. She kept her mouth shut, and with her mask on, like EDI, she was unreadable. It made me feel cold, I had never seen her like this and I decided I would talk with her in private later, but for now I left her to her own thoughts.

The other's expressed their experience, with the power out they saw the strange circuits, needing to fix it Samantha and Joker crawled through the vents, and Joker's eventual networking experience. Samantha had plenty to say on the subject, like Tali I don't think she was quite ready for synthesis, and wasn't as eager as the rest of us to experience what Joker had when he melded with EDI's programming.

When we had finished eating we discussed fixing the ship, got a plan of action together and set to work, covering holes and blocking weak areas from becoming entrances to the ship. With the ship secure, there was nothing more to do but go to bed (for EDI charge), none of us were prepared to do much more, it had been a long day and exhaustion had set in long ago. I was eager, heading off for my room, first it was a matter of checking my databases and then I would crawl into the bed at the back of my office.

Glyph appeared from around the corner, the blue orb floating in front of me, I was pleasantly surprised, if Glyph was available then I would at least have my important things catalogued. I may no longer be the shadow broker, but it comforted me to know all that hard work I'd done was not wasted. "Greetings Dr. T'soni. It is good to see you again. I have performed several backups in your absence due to power failures across the Normandy's grid. Would you like me to access anything in particular."

"Maybe tomorrow?" I asked with a yawn, flopping back onto the mattress with a sigh. "Turn your external light off; it's going to be hard enough to get to sleep as it is." Glyph turned his light off and the ones above me, which would have helped if I did not emit my own light source. I sat up quickly, eyes on the bright lavender coloured circuitry that lined and dotted my blue skin, while we'd discussed this, I did not expect it to be so apparent, out in the sun it was impossible to see, now it was more than obvious shining like tiny diamonds across my skin.

"It seems the lights have not fully dimmed, I apologise. Shall I attempt to turn off the light source?"

"No! I mean… it's fine Glyph, that will be all."

"Good night Dr. T'soni."

**Joker**

The Normandy passed stars and planets as it traversed space to get to the waiting mass relay. It picked up speed as it passed the relays spinning hub, and with a loud zap was transported to another system, another galaxy, away from the destruction it left behind.

"You cannot sleep Jeff?" EDI's face appeared above me, upside down as she bent over my laying form. She dropped into the leather seat beside me I turned my chair as well, bringing it up so I could face her, placing the Normandy model down on the console.

"I don't know if we're the last people in the galaxy and I can glow in the dark… Sleeps going to be hard to get for a while." I placed the mass relay model beside the Normandy's, EDI picked them up, examining them closely, the tips of her lips rose in what I took to be a smile.

"While the Normandy is an impressive ship, I might be biased, but I believe it is possible other ships survived the relay jump- Not necessarily on this planet but somewhere. As for your healthy new glow, I like it, it makes us more compatible, more similar."

I couldn't think of anything to say to that, I hadn't thought of it that way. I watched her as she examined the models, moving them around as I had earlier, using the cockpits view of the stars as my background to set the scene. "Did you find these in Commander Shepard's quarters?" She asked me.

"Yeah, I went to check on the fish. They survived, I would have imagined they'd have electrocuted themselves- being partially synthetic now but apparently they overcame it somehow. Wonder if we can swim? I guess we've all adjusted to be able to perform as we had before but with improvement?"

"You still have the ability to ingest food and water; I imagine submerging yourself wouldn't cause adverse reactions."

I nodded, lost in thought. "What brings you here?" I queried, taking the models and dropping them to one side.

"I have fully charged and am currently experiencing some problems. I noticed it earlier when you and the others were eating. Something is not right."

I was concerned, sitting up in my seat, EDI didn't generally have a problem she couldn't fix on her own, it must have been serious if she needed my help. She was as close to the ship as she could be whatever would be the issue?

"I believe I am experiencing signs of hunger and thirst, my midsection feels compressed and researching digestion I believe that I need to satisfy my body's energy requirements. Before I charged I was also feeling… different. Now that I have been connected to the Normandy for a while, I feel what I consider to be refreshed. I believe I was mimicking sleep." Okay, not what I expected, synthesis might really have effects on her. "It is possible that I could be mistaken in my calculations, but I wonder if you would humour me? I do not believe it would hurt to try."

"Until you electrocute yourself on a drink of water." I quipped uncertainly.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I'm so sorry for the long wait I've been very busy and finding moments to fit time for this was a real pain! I don't often ask for reviews but please do to let me know you're all still reading and interested for more, I wouldn't continue if it wasn't for your interest. Thanks guys!**

* * *

><p><strong>Joker<strong>

I watched as she drew the fork up to her eyes, examining it closely through her orange holo-visor. EDI sat across from me, fried eggs on a plate in front of her and fork in hand, ready to try one of 'Joker's quick, I-can't-cook' meals. I barely made myself anything, being as simply bending to pick up a fry pan could crack my spine in two, so I'd normally take the easy pickings from the mess sergeant but with him now dead that would be difficult.

It appeared however there was more than the one benefit to the strange new powers we possessed, while my Vrolik's syndrome was nowhere near cured, the addition of Cerberus upgrades in the past and now synthetic additions had increased bone strength avoiding the weak bones I had previously that would shatter under minimal impact. This was made apparent when the ship crashed and not one of my body parts had collapsed under my weight when I had stood- it had just taken me a while to realise that maybe I wasn't completely crippled anymore.

"I have researched all possible uses of forks and their use as an eating utensil. I still however believe the design is flawed." She twisted the fork back and forth, lips turned down at the corners in an apparent frown.

"Oh really?" I smirked, surprised by EDI's distaste for something she'd never really used. "What would you recommend?" She may well have been stalling, I don't think she was looking at my food with an excited outlook, more likely uncertain what she was doing was appropriate at all.

"Well, I have also searched the extranet for spoons, knives, chopsticks and other utensils from around earth and other planets. I myself believe the 'spork' would be a more appropriate tool to use when eating but it seems to lack the popularity a fork has. With a meal such as this-" Her eyes roved to the egg. "It would be more appropriate to have the dip of the spoon and the tines of the fork, to optimise the amount of food collected to place into ones mouth." She poked at the yellow yolk and it spilled out, the runny innards pooling around her plate, just to prove her point. "This meal is both a solid and liquid and if I must say so does not look at all appealing. I recommend you stick to your day job, as a pilot, Jeff." She paused. "That was a joke. It looks edible to an extent."

"Err… Thanks?" I was worried she wouldn't like it now. I hoped she still lacked taste-buds.

I watched her cut away at a slice of yolky egg white with her fork, my breath was held as she drew it to her mouth, placed it gently on her metal tongue and chew thoughtfully momentarily before mimicking a swallow. "That was… surprisingly pleasant. Do you suppose I try the toast?"

"It's better with the egg…" I didn't realise I'd been staring at her this whole time and looked away, not wanting to appear rude. I know EDI didn't mind but she might start commenting on my increased heart rate or lack of oxygen, I hated when she picked up on little things like that, even if it was how she properly gauged emotion. "You might need your knife for the toast though." This was surreal. My robot girlfriend could eat, she'd surpassed AI and was heading straight to human- the next thing I know she'd probably take over someone's body- not a thought I wanted to dwell on. "Bon Appétit..." I mumbled dully, watching with a mixture of interest and discontent.

**Tali**

I ran my hand across the bedside table as I dropped onto the mattress behind me, now seated; I picked up the picture in its frame that had fallen to the floor, examining the photo through the smashed glass, running a finger over the face. I had few opportunities to see myself without my mask, other's might have been curious of how I looked but the only real time we even got to properly examine our own skin and bodies was when we received a new envirosuit as we grew too large for the old one. I'd experienced it a fair few times as a child, but as I aged I no longer grew at an alarming rate and it had been a while since my last suit change within the fleet's sterile environment.

A placed the photo back on the bedside, drawing in a deep breath. What I would give to feel the sheets in my hands, to be able to breath in Shepard's scent of gun polish and musk from the sweat of battle, it may be possible, but not to talk to him again, to see him one last time. I bit my lip, not wanting to remind myself or I might not be able to stop my descent into madness- I felt like I was going mad already- vision blurring with tears and head fogging with the onset of a headache. I'd become too emotionally attached perhaps, couldn't detach myself from the feelings that made my stomach clench painfully and my eyes sting. It was silly, but I missed him, I didn't really know what had happened to him but the worst thoughts invaded my mind.

The bad thought led me to think of several options, the first I would not accept- Shepard had died on the crucible. I wouldn't believe that, he'd been through so many things before this, how could the most powerful man in the universe fall to such a threat? Harbinger had left with the other reapers. Who knows what Shepard did, but to consider the possibility that his soul had been snuffed out, I clutched to his pillow in my hands now, hugging it close to my armoured chest.

The second thought, Shepard had survived and was stuck back on earth. With the mass relays destroyed the distance between us would be wide but possibly manageable with comms, this was my 'optimistic' assumption, I didn't believe it to be true but I wished desperately for it to be the case.

The third and final option, too farfetched to be optimistic, stretching reality further then the relays expanded interstellar travel was that he'd somehow be here, on this planet, awaiting us to find him. I could only imagine this scenario; it seemed like a young quarian's dream, with little basis for believability I had already passed this off as a simple fancy, a wish. Shepard did amazing things but that was the least likely outcome. I couldn't help but hope though; deep down, that I would see him again, no matter where or how. At least I still had my memories to keep me going.

_When he walked over my chest felt heavy, my eyes on his face and my heart beating wildly. "Almost time for the final push, you okay?"_

_He seemed surprised. "I thought I'd be asking you that question."_

"_Shepard, I backed you when I was just a kid on her pilgrimage. I backed you when the Normandy was a Cerberus ship." I leaned in, eyes on his face, trying to hide the fear in my eyes. "Wherever you go, I'm with you." There was no fear in my voice, simply truth. "…and you haven't answered my question." I paused, surveying him. "Are you okay?" That was all I cared about, no matter what would happen in the end, I needed to be sure Shepard was alright._

"_You remember how you felt when you landed on Rannoch?" I was concerned, knowing whatever he said next would not assuage my fear, I would still worry for him no matter what he said. "Now imagine it's not just a story passed down by your people… imagine you were there just a few months ago."_

"_And now you're seeing it like this," I finished for him, eyeing off the destruction over his shoulder as I drew closer to his frame. _

_He turned to face the mess himself, the buildings around us merely rubble, bullets zinging past in different directions as good versed bad. It was slowly falling apart around our heads, we were about to perform the impossible and Shepard was in the middle of it, reassuring us all despite his own unsureness._

"_We will." The conviction in my voice even startled me. "Do you remember what we said on Rannoch? Just before you took down that reaper?" I was almost whispering, the memories flooding back then too. _

"_You said… I love you…" He remembered, pulling close to me once more, I yearned to touch him then too, to feel the softness of his cheek and the hardness of his armour. _

"_And you said keelah se'lai…" I felt myself begin to break down, my voice as I next spoke coming out cracked. "I want more time…" _

"_I know." His hand on my shoulder, if only I could feel it, spread warmth from my stomach through my limbs, my fears instantly dissipated once more, as I stared into his eyes, believing truthfully for a moment that everything would be okay. "Whatever happens…"_

"_I know," I repeated back, our faces were close for a moment, if it wasn't for the mask I imagine we would have kissed right there and then. The moment passed and we pulled away, ready to face the battle that was awaiting us. _

I could feel the tears tracking from my eyes down my cheeks and in an impulsive moment put my hand to my mask and removed it. I threw it behind me on the bed so I could wipe at my face, the pillow still clutched tightly in my other hand. This wasn't how I imagined the next step, after we defeated the reaper threat. I thought we would have a happy ending, I guess you can only have so many of those before the tide changes.

I wasn't too concerned when I'd removed my mask; I hadn't yet succumbed to the sickness that I had planned for earlier in the day. With broken armour it had only been a matter of time, but I didn't even have the sniffles, so I couldn't see myself succumbing to illness now, in the room I'd removed my mask in several times before. I pulled at the gloves on my hands, detached my armour from my torso and arms, leaving me in my leg armour, head scarf and a simple tunic covering my front. I ran my hand over the blanket, not used to the alien feeling of soft plush fabric. I shivered slightly, cold from the lack of covering, but I preferred it, I felt free from my confines.

I tried to ignore the funny lines running up my pale arms, knowing I was being childish by denying their existence. I wasn't ready to accept what had happened, it was wrong to be merged with technology; we worked so hard to fight against it and now we had become it. So much for fighting for our rights as biological species, now we were no different to what we had worked to destroy. I was sure I had it right; we shouldn't celebrate these new abilities but mourn what we had lost to make way for this technology, not just our friends but ourselves.

My thoughts were punctured by the sound of the cabins door opening, Garrus walked in, obviously not expecting me here, especially not without my mask. His eyes went from my face to said mask on the bed and he quickly put two and two together. I wasn't expecting him here either and suddenly felt quite naked, despite the tunic, not used to being without my envirosuit within anyone's presence but Shepard's. "Garrus…"

"Tali?" He was examining my face, I felt my cheeks grow hot, not used to the attention from the turian. "What are you doing in here?" I'm glad he didn't tack on anything about my lack of envirosuit.

"I think I have more of a reason to be in here then you…" I shot back, not sure why I was on the defensive, after all he hadn't done anything wrong. "What were you planning on doing?" I queried, eyeing him off suspiciously. He hesitated; I think he was still surprised to see my face beyond its usual confines.

He held up the Normandy model and the little mass relay. "…I found these in the cockpit and wanted to return them to their rightful place…" His mandibles twitched slightly, I think my accusing tone was agitating him.

"Thank you, Garrus." I replied stiffly, still unsure why I was behaving so horrible. First I shot at him and now I was treating him like a stow-away and not my dear friend. My emotions were taking over, turning me into something I didn't like. "Is that all?" My replies weren't even my own anymore.

"…I suppose for now…" He placed the ships up on their stands, looked like he was about to say something but thought better of it as he opened and closed his mouth. "Goodnight Tali." He spoke with the same lack of emotion I had, I watched him walk out feeling rather hollow, the door closing behind him with a snap.

So maybe I wasn't in the mood to talk, I was exhausted from the day's events and all the thoughts circling my addled brain again and again. He was merely interrupting, what I had started and I think I earned some time alone for a while. Still… I sighed outwardly. He didn't deserve the cold shoulder from me, after helping me in the forest earlier. More thoughts to dwell on, more to feel awful about, why was I behaving so childish when this situation called for unity? _Because Shepard is not here to keep everyone together, he had a gift of keeping us all friendly. _Shut up brain, I didn't need reminding.

**Garrus**

I was feeling touchy about Tali's behaviour the night before and still could not believe I had seen her without her mask on. No one but the quarians and their mates knew what they looked like; I never expected I would see any quarian- including Tali beneath their suit, Rannoch was still a long way from being their home planet again, one they could safely survive without sickness in. So how the hell had she managed to survive it now? Something had change, and it was fairly obvious what. I scratched at my skin with my talons, eyeing the light lines that travelled up my arm and beneath my skin plates.

I was sullen through breakfast, joining in on the conversation but with nothing particular to say, EDI's eating drew much attention around the table and she discussed her 'evolution' with the group at large, their interest reflecting her own. She was asking just as many questions about eating and digestion from an 'organic' point of view, whether our synthesis had any effect on the process and then ate some dextro food with bad results- the taste was not to her liking. All odd from my perspective, _robots_ were not supposed to be able to eat, sleep or do anything that would be conducive to life, her behaviour was alien (a somewhat redundant phrase in this day and age) and I wasn't appreciative of the strange behaviours. Tali, still in a bad mood, mirrored my thoughts obviously, keeping quite as she sipped slowly at her food through a straw.

We decided that on the day's agenda we would all journey out to the clearing together, try to scavenge what we could and collect further food rations. The extra hands would help and the ship was meanwhile fine regardless, there wasn't much that could happen to it in our absence. Tali had re-donned her mask and suit today, we didn't directly talk to one another, behaving like children in a fight, it was easier to say nothing then to admit fault, so we spent our time skirting around each other, not wanting to draw attention to the aloof attitude we had adopted in the other's presence. It would do no good to have the whole group drawn into our petty argument; I did not want to cause another fissure in our already broken crew- we did not need the added stressor and opportunity to break apart, so easily done in this survival situations.

James and I ensured the crew was suitable equipped, delegating guns and armour to strength, weakness and race. It was weird to see Joker, so usually done up in his plain shirt and cap wearing light armour and donning an assault rifle like it was his usual affair. Doctor Chakwas wasn't a fan of going on ground support, preferring to stay on the vessel, but recognised the need for medical support with so many of us in the group. She wielded a pistol, told us she knew how to use it but would prefer not to, being a healer, not a killer. I disagreed, in this environment we would all have to be killers, anything could jump out at us to send us straight to the spirits, we couldn't risk being too cautious to fire, no matter the cost. My tune had changed since we'd been attacked by those pack animals yesterday; this place likely had more in store for us.

EDI had the Normandy locked tight but could not get any of the defences operational, the ship was defenceless but we hoped the repairs we had done would hold out to provide a barrier to snooping animals. A shifty looking space cow stole Shepard's creds once, one of them on the ship could take anything their grabby extra hands could grasp, and several of them could be pandemonium.

We followed the same path we had the day before, through the strange glowing shrubbery. EDI and I took the lead, the others all followed. Joker, Bethany, Samantha and Karin were flanked by James, having not been on the path before and three out of four not well used to using guns. Survival was the most important aspect now; we needed a way to travel, and enough supplies to keep us going. With the Normandy out, we would have to look into alternatives, or fixing her up, either way it wasn't going to be an easy task and without the mass relays it would be impossible to get anywhere familiar in less than a decade, even with a working navigation system which we didn't currently have. I didn't want to dwell on this negatives, I was determined to return to civilization and eventually Palaven again, even if it required me to build a relay by hand.

We were all silent, not wanting to give away our position with speech, guns at the ready, no mistakes this time, we weren't going to be hunted, we would be the ones doing the hunting. Our armoured shoes crunching dead leaves punctured the noise of our sloshing drinks in our flasks and the life teeming in the forest, it would make hearing us easy but the trees were very leafy and we were well hidden amongst the thick, close together branches. Rustling in the bushes ahead of us and a squeaking had us on edge, all nine of us (some faster than others) trained our guns as two small furry animals scurried across the path and under another shrub; their fur was glowing lightly on the tips like fibre optics. I expanded my mandibles, relaxing as the threat turned out to be a false alarm, I could see one of us returning to the ship from a misplaced shot to the foot in our haste to shoot at an 'enemy'. Everything out here was dangerous, there were nine of us now but who knows how many of us there could be in a week?

**Samantha**

I was not trained to be a soldier, I had basic weapons experience, I could shoot a target with a pistol no problem, but it often wasn't moving and I never wore armour. It was only light but I wasn't conditioned to it, its bulk and tight fit making it hard for me to walk at an efficient speed or with light footedness. I hate to imagine how Joker was coping, the helmet on my head decreased visibility too, I found it annoying that I had to turn my head to look to my forward left and right, I glanced at the other in question, he seemed to be coping, keeping up as well as I, but he was hobbling slightly, the armour taking its toll.

I was starting to get sick of bumping up against trees, forgetting to keep a slight distance due to padded shoulder guards, when EDI told us all to stop moving and stay silent. At least the trees were thinning out, the plants that stretched on for miles now diminishing to reveal tufts of yellowing grass. "I seem to be picking up on communications; I'm relaying the language through your translators now."

"I can't hear anything," Garrus admitted in a whisper, I strained my ears but couldn't hear the slightest hint of anything, just the whistling of the wind as it crept through the crack in my visor. God dammit. We cautiously continued forward, EDI seeming to hover, she was completely silent as we walked, not a single footfall or twitch of the finger making any noise, not to my basic human ears anyway, she was the perfect hunter, able to pick up noise from miles away. We crouched low in the plants to as not to attract attention, I saw them before I could hear them, it was hard not to miss.

Thick ropes pulled taught as they stripped the ships of their metal, attached to the other end of the ropes were enormous aliens of unknown race to me, larger than the krogan, the elcor and the yahg combined. They were like a fairy-tale; the giants from jack in the beanstalk, except these guys were completely hairless, red in colouration and had two pairs of arms and hands. The immense strength they must have to be able to rip metal from an alliance vessel would surely be enough to crush one as well, using their powerful bodies to stretch forward, ropes around their shoulders and use their brute force to rip large chunks of ship from itself. The screeching was ear-splitting, worse than nails down a chalkboard.

"Someone beat us too it." James didn't sound disappointed; rather, glad we weren't being ripped up like the ships. Those creatures weren't the ones talking though, distinctly in the middle of the group of large creatures, for there were six of the giants, was nothing much more than mere man, impossible to tell true identity from this distance, but enough to make my blood run cold- could he control them?

"The ascent is upon us!" Yelled the man, if that was what he was. "Soon we shall be brought forth before our masters and they shall deem us worthy. We have already been granted great wisdom and power, but now much more will be delivered. We asked for more shelter, and we got what we asked for, just look around you at the bounty we've received from the skies. We asked for food and look around you, no longer will we have to hunt to feed ourselves and the great-ones! We have been provided for anew, we are now all granted with the knowledge of the planet, we have all received the greatest blessing," He tore at the grass beneath him and sparks flew, this rippled on for several meters, the grass was too tall to make out much more.

"He's not the only one…" Garrus murmured, as if he knew what I was thinking, glancing through his sniper rifle site. They must have all picked at the grass, causing several of the electrical connections to sever across the clearing.

James grunted. "We had to land on the one planet that had its own cult, great…"

As we watched the people dispersed from their grouping, entering the ships and picking through what was available, the 'great-ones' as they had been referred to dragged their metal away into the trees on the other side of the clearing, obviously we weren't the only ones wanting to get an early start.

Yells and screams from nearby attracted our attention and we watched as several of the men exited one of the ships with a young boy, dragged by the hair in one man's hand. He verbally protested, as well as physically, grabbing the muscled man's hand with both his own and kicking out at the ground as he struggled. I felt my stomach knot at the way he was treated, knowing it would be foolish of me to react and get us all killed, I'd likely miss anyway.

They all wore basic clothes, tunics and pants made of animal skins, the young boy wore a simple wrap that went over both his shoulders and covered him to the knees, something must have kept it fastened as he was making enough movement to dislodge it. The boy was dragged to the man who had spoken originally, the captor dropping the child at his feet. "We found him hiding away, likely trying to take the bounty for himself." Their booming voices were loud across the clearing, with little real wind to carry it away.

"Do you suppose yourself worthy boy?" The response appeared less then hoped for as the child spat out at the supposed leader.

"More worthy then you." The child yelped as he was kicked in the back to the ground.

"Watch your tongue, _the ascent _only comes to those who are worthy, interrupting the cleansing, interrupting the work of your elders, these are all grounds for expulsion, or would you rather a quick death? For either way you will be placed in an early grave." He pulled a sword from his wrappings, I gasped; I was not prepared for this, watching on in transfixed fascination as the child was kept still with another clutch at his hair.

I watched, the distance making it hard to see properly- to which I was thankful- as he raised the weapon above his head. "One less mouth to feed!" The sword came down; a ringing filled my ears and blood sprayed across the leaders face, but not from the expected source.

Garrus panted, shot newly fired from his Viper, hitting the captor in the head, causing him to drop the boy who missed his death by a centimetre. "I never did take kindly to terrorists, even the primitive kind." I felt faint, I wasn't trained for this.


End file.
